Mets Lose to Braves Despite Jacob deGrom’s Two-Way Excellence

Billy Hamilton singled home the go-ahead run in the 14th inning for his first hit as a Brave, and Atlanta beat the host Mets, 2-1, on Friday night for its sixth straight win despite yet another sensational game by Jacob deGrom.

The Mets tied a major league record by striking out 26 batters — including 13 by deGrom — but had their five-game winning streak end.

At 21, the Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. became the second-youngest player with a 30-homer, 30-steal season. Only Mike Trout did it faster than Acuna.

A speedy baserunning specialist, Hamilton was claimed by Atlanta off waivers from Kansas City last week to be a late-game contributor for the Braves — although not with his bat. Hamilton entered as a pinch-runner in the 10th and stole a base but was left stranded.

Four innings later, his grounder off Jeurys Familia (4-2) was just out of reach for a diving Joe Panik at second base, allowing Tyler Flowers to score from third. The hit came in Hamilton’s fourth plate appearance since changing teams, and he added his second steal of the game a few pitches later.

DeGrom homered and struck out eight straight batters during one dominant stretch, pitching seven innings of one-run ball. He finished a punchout shy of his career high — he struck out 14 and also homered to beat Miami on April 3.

DeGrom became the first pitcher since at least 1900 to strike out 13 and homer in a game twice in the same season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

DeGrom, the reigning Cy Young Award winner in the National League, got a no-decision anyway, the 18th time in his career he has pitched one-run ball or better over seven innings and not gotten a victory. The Mets are now just 7-5 this year when deGrom allows one or fewer earned runs.

The Braves tied a major league record for strikeouts — several teams had fanned 26 times, but never Atlanta hitters or Mets pitchers. The Mets’ previous high as a staff was 24, achieved on June 2, 2018, against the Cubs during a 14-inning game — deGrom also struck out 13 in that one.

The Braves have won nine of 12 and pulled six games ahead of Washington in the N.L. East. The Mets remained two games behind the Cubs for the second N.L. wild card spot after Chicago lost to the Nationals, 9-3.

Atlanta has won nine of 12 against the Mets this season.

DeGrom’s eight straight strikeouts marked the best such streak in the majors this year and tied his career high.